Speed control system

ABSTRACT

A speed control system employing a remote control system in which a vehicle is provided with a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device capable of receiving a signal to immediately stop the vehicle when the remote control system has detected the presence of a pedestrian at a location, like a crosswalk, and the presence of the approaching vehicle. When a detector detects the presence of a pedestrian at a location, like a crosswalk, the remote control system is placed on stand-by status so that when the remote control system further receives a signal of the presence of an approaching vehicle, either due to a vehicle driving over a road safety bar or the vehicle being detected by an infrared detector, the remote control system transmits a signal to a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device to disable the vehicle by either shutting down its vehicle engine and/or activating its brake system. The vehicle is thus stopped prior to reaching the crosswalk; thereby, allowing the pedestrian to safely traverse the crosswalk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Controlling the speed of vehicles has always been a critical safetyissue, especially in populated areas (e.g., school zones, walkwaysleading to parking areas, or the like) where pedestrians may bevulnerable to being hit by speeding vehicles. Although traffic signs(including stop signs, speed limit signs or signs indicating the heavypresence of pedestrians) are often used within such populated areas,such signs do not provide the necessary safety precautions due todrivers' tendencies to either miss or ignore such traffic signs. Thefailure for drivers to slow down their vehicles in highly pedestrianpopulated areas creates a dangerous situation, which requiresresolution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide aremote control system able to timely stop a vehicle prior to reaching alocation on which pedestrians walk.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a systemwhereby a vehicle can be stopped by remote control system prior toreaching the location on which pedestrians walk.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a remotecontrol system in which a vehicle is provided with a vehicle enginedisabling/brake activating device capable of receiving a signal toimmediately stop the vehicle when the remote control system has detectedthe presence of a pedestrian at a location, like a crosswalk, and thepresence of the approaching vehicle.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a remote controlsystem for use as a pedestrian safety system such that when a detectordetects the presence of a pedestrian at a location, like a crosswalk,the remote control system is placed on stand-by status so that when theremote control system further receives a signal of the presence of anapproaching vehicle, either due to a vehicle driving over a road safetybar or the vehicle being detected by an infrared detector, the remotecontrol system transmits a signal to a vehicle engine disabling/brakeactivating device to disable the vehicle by either shutting down itsvehicle engine and/or activating its brake system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the speed control system of this invention for controllingthe speed of a vehicle for preventing collision of the vehicle onto apedestrian.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As shown in FIG. 1, the speed control system of this invention includesa pedestrian detector 1, which can be operated by a pedestrian 2. Whenthe pedestrian 2 crosses a, for example, crosswalk 3, he can access (by,e.g., pressing or the like) the detector. The access of the detector 1may be physically performed (such as, the before-mentioned pressing bythe pedestrian of the detector) or may be done electronically (such as,with the use of an infrared detector) for allowing the detector 1 todetermine the presence of a pedestrian 2.

Upon the detection of a pedestrian 2 by the detector 1, the detector 1transmits a signal to a remote control system 5. When the remote controlsystem 5 receives the signal from the detector 1, due to the detector'sdetection of the pedestrian 2, the remote control system 5 is placed onstand-by mode ready to receive or transmit remote control signals.

A vehicle 8 being driven on a road 10 towards the direction of thecrosswalk 3 has, installed therein, a vehicle engine disabling/brakeactivating device 12. The vehicle engine disabling/brake activatingdevice 12 includes therein the capability of shutting down, disabling orturning OFF the engine of the vehicle 8 and activating the vehicle'sbrake system, and further has the capability of receiving remote controlsignals 18 from the remote control system 5.

A detector 13, installed on the road 10, detects the presence of thevehicle 8. The detector 13 can be, for example, a warning plate that iselectrically connected to the remote control system 5. If in theconfiguration of a warning plate, the detector 13 can be run over by thevehicle 8; thereby, activating the remote control system 5 to operate soas to send the signal 18 to the vehicle engine disabling/brakeactivating device 12. Alternatively, the detector 13 may be an infrareddevice, which detects the presence of the vehicle 8; thereby, sending asignal 15 to the remote control system 5 for activating the remotecontrol system 5 to operate so as to send the signal 18 to the vehicleengine disabling/brake activating device 12.

When in operation, the speed control system of this invention, isinitiated when the pedestrian detector 1 detects the presence of thepedestrian 2, prior to, e.g., crossing the crosswalk 3. Such detectionof the pedestrian 2 by the pedestrian detector 1 activates the detector1 to send a signal to the remote control system 5. The signal receivedby the remote control system 5 from the detector 1 places the remotecontrol system 5 in a stand-by mode ready to receive or transmit theremote control signals 15, 18.

With the remote control system 5 being at the stand-by mode, and withthe vehicle 8, traveling at an undesirable speed, approaching thecrosswalk 3, the vehicle 8 runs over or passes the detector 13. Thedetector 13 thereafter detects the presence of the vehicle 8. Upon thedetection by the detector 13 of the presence of the vehicle 8, thedetector transmits the signal 15 to the remote control system 5. Uponreceiving the signal 15, the remote control system 5 thereaftertransmits the signal 18 to the vehicle engine disabling/brake activatingdevice 12. Upon receiving the signal 18, the vehicle enginedisabling/brake activating device 12 disables the vehicle engine andactivates the vehicle brake system so as to stop the vehicle 8; thereby,preventing the vehicle 8 from proceeding to the crosswalk 3 and allowingthe pedestrian 2 to safely walk on the crosswalk 3.

In order to permit the remote control system 5 to transmit the signal 18to the vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device 12 so as todisable the engine and activate the brake system of the vehicle 8 and totimely stop the vehicle, which may be traveling at an undesired speed,well before the vehicle 8 reaches the crosswalk 3, the detector 13should be located far enough from the crosswalk 3.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments,and various modifications in design, structural arrangements or the likemay be made without departing from the scope or equivalents of thepresent invention. For example, the detector 13, in addition to being aninfrared detector, may be a safety bar extending along the road 10electrically or mechanically connected to the remote control system 5.

The detector 13 may also be a 2-piece foldable hinge-like plate, onepiece being fastened to the road 10, while the other piece being movedat an upstanding position when the remote control system 5 receives thesignal from the indicator 1 due to the detection of the presence of thepedestrian 2. With this structural arrangement, the remote controlsystem 5 and the hinge-like plate are operably connected, eithermechanically or electrically. When the vehicle 8 runs over the foldablehinge-like plate 13, the other piece that has moved an the upstandingposition is pushed by the tires of the vehicle 8; thereby, sending thesignal 15 to the remote control system 5 indicating the presence of thevehicle 8.

1. A speed control system, comprising: a remote control system capableof receiving and transmitting signals; a first detector placed across aroad for informing the remote control system of the presence of avehicle; a vehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installedwithin the vehicle for receiving a signal from the remote control systemfor at least one of disabling the engine of the vehicle and activatingthe brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling. 2.The speed control system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising asecond detector for detecting the presence of a pedestrian near or at acrosswalk, wherein the second indicator, upon detection of thepedestrian, transmits a signal to the remote control system.
 3. Thespeed control system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the remote controlsystem is placed on stand-by mode upon receipt of the signal from thesecond detector.
 4. The speed control system as set forth in claim 1,wherein the first detector is a hinge-like plate.
 5. The speed controlsystem as set forth in claim 4, wherein the hinge-like plate has twopieces, one piece being mounted onto the road, while the other piece ismovable and, upon the detection of the pedestrian by the firstindicator, the remote control system sends a signal to the hinge-likeplate to move the other piece thereof at an upstanding position, theremote control system and the hinge-like plate being operably connected,either mechanically or electrically.
 6. The speed control system as setforth in claim 5, wherein the other piece of the hinge-like plate, whenin the upstanding position, is pushed by tires of the vehicle when runover by the vehicle, and the remote control system then detects thepresence of the vehicle and sends a signal to the vehicle enginedisabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle in orderto at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activate thebrakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.
 7. Thespeed control system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first detectoris an infra-red sensor for detecting the presence of the vehicle, andupon a detection of the vehicle, transmits a signal to the remotecontrol system, and the remote control system then detects the presenceof the vehicle and sends a signal to the vehicle engine disabling/brakeactivating device installed within the vehicle in order to at least oneof disable the engine of the vehicle and activate the brakes of thevehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.
 8. The speed controlsystem as set forth in claim 2, wherein the second detector is apush-button type, which can be operated by a pedestrian.
 9. The speedcontrol system as set forth in claim 2, wherein the second detector isan infrared sensor, which detects the presence of a pedestrian and sendsa signal to the remote control system upon the detection thereof of thepedestrian.
 10. A speed control method, comprising the steps of:detecting the presence of a vehicle by a remote control system; andthereafter, having the remote control system send a signal to a vehicleengine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle inorder to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activatethe brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling. 11.The speed control method as set forth in claim 10, further comprisingthe steps of detecting the presence of a pedestrian and thereafter,transmitting a signal to the remote control system.
 12. The speedcontrol method as set forth in claim 10, wherein the step of detectingthe presence of the vehicle includes the step of raising a portion of ahinge-like plate on the road so that upon the tires of the vehiclerunning over the portion of the hinge-like plate that is raised, theremote control system sends a signal to a vehicle engine disabling/brakeactivating device installed within the vehicle in order to at least oneof disable the engine of the vehicle and activate the brakes of thevehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.
 13. The speed controlmethod as set forth in claim 10, wherein the step of detecting thepresence of the vehicle includes the step of detecting by infraredsensor the presence of the vehicle, and thereafter sending a signal to avehicle engine disabling/brake activating device installed within thevehicle in order to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicleand activate the brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle fromtraveling.
 14. The speed control method as set forth in claim 10,wherein the pedestrian operates a push-button type to signify hispresence to the remote control system.
 15. The speed control system asset forth in claim 10, the presence of the pedestrian is detected by aninfrared sensor and sends a signal to the remote control system upon thedetection thereof of the pedestrian.
 16. The speed control system as setforth in claim 11, wherein upon the receipts by the remote controlsystem of signals signifying the presence of the pedestrian and thevehicle, the remote control system transmits the signal to the vehicleengine disabling/brake activating device installed within the vehicle inorder to at least one of disable the engine of the vehicle and activatethe brakes of the vehicle so as to stop the vehicle from traveling.